Another transfer blow for United

MANCHESTER UNITED look to have missed out on another target with reports suggesting Juventus are now hot favourites to sign Valencia midfielder Andre Gomes.

The 22-year-old only joined the Spanish club outright in July 2015 for £11.5million but his value has soared to around £40m after a superb season in La Liga.

Juventus are thought to have increased their interest in the Portugal international after their own midfield star Claudio Marchisio was ruled out for six months with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The staggering fee said to be being paid for him by the Italian champions is made up of £26m up front and £14m in add-ons.

The Sun claims: “Even though Jose Mourinho is a fan of Gomes and he’d like to bring him to Old Trafford should he replace Louis Van Gaal, it looks like they’ve been beaten to his signature.”

And according to reports in Italian papers, Gomes has now accepted a move to the Serie A and The Old Lady will now put pressure on Valencia to allow him to leave.

Gomes, who began his career at Benfica, was seen by United as a key target after they missed out on fellow Portuguese star Renato Sanches, who opted for a move to Bayern Munich rather than Old Trafford.

Gomes’ control when dribbling, awareness in tight spaces and ability to produce moments of magic have made plenty take note of his efforts at Valencia, although there are some doubts as to whether he’d be suited to the more physical side of the English game.